Apparatus for coating metal articles



March 21, G, w E L 2,975,506

APPARATUS FOR COATING METAL ARTICLES Original Filed June 8, 1954 2 Seets-Sh et 1 March 21, 1961 w, BELL 2,975,506

APPARATUS FOR COATING METAL ARTICLES Original Filed June 8, 1954 2 ees-Sh t 2 Egg-3 .Zizzazzfar United tates Patent" APPARATUS FOR COATINGMETAL ARTICLES vided and this application July 31, 1957, Ser. No.675,338

4 Claims. (CI. 29-81) The present invention relates to an apparatus forcoating articles such as wire prior todrawing.

More particularly, this invention relates to an improved apparatus fordescaling raw metal stock including a vigorous abrasion and polishing ofthe surface of the stock to remove all scale therefrom and thelubrication of the stock prior to drawing. 7

Raw metal wire stock as received from the mill is coated with impuritiesand oxide scale. As the scale is extremely hard and brittle, feeding ofcontaminate raw stock through drawing dies not only abrades the dies tocause excessive wear and consequent short life of the dies butinterferes with the quality of the finished wire as well.

Heretofore, raw wire stock has been subjected to reverse bending and theaction of cascading steel balls which are more or less effective inpeening away scale from the stock, and has then been passed throughpowdered lime and soap, the lime precipitating the soap, so it willadhere to the wire and lubricate the wire for drawing.

While these prior processes are useful, the raw stock is not aseifectively and effioiently cleaned and lubricated as desirable,particularly when the rate of travel of the wire stock through the priorreverse bending and ballmill cleaning apparatus is stepped up toincrease the speed of production.

It is a principal object of this invention, therefore, to provide animproved apparatus for conditioning by cleaning, brightening andlubricating essentially continuous elongated raw metal stock fordrawing.

More specifically, it is an object of this ,invention'to provide zanimproved apparatus for continuously descaling, cleaning and lubricatingraw metal stock in preparation for additional drawing of said raw stockintofinished metal articles. V

Still another object of the invention is to provide a descaling andlubricating apparatus for raw metal stock arranged with-a view towardincreasing the speed and etficiency of the cleaning operating andimproving the treatment of the stock prior to drawing.

In carrying out my invention I provide a rotary chamber rotatably drivenby power, tension means to feed continuous metal stock linearly throughand along the chamber along the center of rotation thereof, and supportmeans within the chamber and rotated thefiby adapted to support at leastone replaceable abrasive member, in positive tangential contact with theperiphery of themetal stock feed therethrough.

I also provide a replaceable abrasive means in'the form of metal fileblocks, although 9 other abrasive products including sintered:particulate aluminum oxide or silicon carbide fragments .in block formmay be selected for this end.

Additionally, I provide the. rotary chambeniwith a plurality of"compartments, the first entered of which is provided with abrasivemeansas indicated and immediately adjacenttheretp one Ifor jrnorecompartments providing continuous {contact of the freshly. abraded metaljsuriac fes ice with wire-drawing compounds, for example, lime, limerock, powdered lime, and to then pass the wire through a lime slurry andbake the lime thereto, prior to passing through powdered soap forlubricating the wire prior to drawing. A particular advantage accrues incontacting a freshly abraded bright metal surface immediately uponformation with metal drawing compounds and then baking the compoundsthereto, as there appears to be a greater aflinity of the metal for thelubricants when the metal surface is in a pristine state and has had thelime baked thereon, leading to an increased film of lubricant andconsequently advantages in die life, rate of drawing, etc.

This application is a division of my application Serial No. 435,186,filed June 8, 1954, and entitled Apparatus and Process for Making Rods,and now Patent No. 2,913,354.

These and other objects of the invention will appear from time to timeas the following specification proceeds and with reference to theaccompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic view in side elevation of a coating apparatusconstructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along and throughthe axis of rotation of the rotary chamber shown in Figure l with thesupporting parts therefor removed;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along lineIII-III of Figure 2 and drawn to a reduce scale;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along lineIVIV of Figure 2 and drawn to the same scale as Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view in side elevation of the firstentered compartment of Figure 2 with the outer cylindrical shellremoved; and

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along line VI-VIof Figure 5.

Referring now in particular to Figure 1 of the drawing and generally tothe apparatus and method, black iron wire or raw elongated metal stock 1is drawn through the apparatus by driven wheel 45, and the take-up reelsof the wire drawing apparatus, and not herein shown or described sinceit forms no portion of the present invention and is clearly shown anddescribed in my parent aplication Serial No. 435,186 of which thisapplication is a division. The raw metal stock l enters the machinethrough a fixed guide 2 and is trained horizontally about sheave 3rotatable about a vertical axis and is then reversed and trained aboutsheave 5 rotatable about a horizontal axis. The initial bending servesto crack and to remove the worst of the embrittled, more readily removedscale.

The partially descaled raw metal stock then passes through a hollowtrunnion 7 of. a main polishing and lubricating chamber8, shown inFigure 4 as being in the form of acylinder and having opposite end walls9 and 10. The hollow trunnior'i7 is shown as being secured to the drum8,ithrough an apertured"intermediate plate l2 dividing the main chamberor drum 8 into a polishing chamber 11 and a treating chamber 2 t[Ifhestock passes from the treating chamber 2 1';

the hollow interior of the trunnion 35 tothe. tensig ing "45,, 'Thehollow trunnionsfl and jare po tata'bly supported on a frame 36 for thedescaling and polishing apparatus in spaced pillow boxes 37 and 38respectively. The chamber or cylinder 8 is shown as being rotatablydriven by a motor 40,supported on a shelf 41 extending inwardlyfrom thesupport legs of the frame 36. The drive to the cylinder or drum 8 fromthe motor 40 is shown as being a V-belt drive of a well known form andindicated generally by refer ence character 39.

The descaled, polished and treated wire stock passes from the trunnion35 around the tensioning pulley 45, driven by the motor 40 through -aV-belt drive 41, driving a counter shaft 42, a V-belt drive 43 driving ashaft 44, and a beveled gear drive 46 driven from the shaft 44 anddriving a shaft 47 on which the tensioning pulley 45 is keyed orotherwise secured.

The'tensioning pulley 45 is shown as rotating in a tank 48 containing anaqueous slurry of lime, borax or any other suitable material for coatingthe wire stock and assisting the soap to pick up on the wire stock as alubricant during the wire drawing operations.

The freshly polished and coated stock, leaving the tank 48 passesupwardly over horizontally spaced sheaves 49 and 50 having electricalconductors 49a and 50a, respectively, electrically connected thereto.The electrical conductors 49a and 50a are diagrammatically shown asbeing connected with a transformer 50b, putting out an dependent in partupon a gage of the wire stock, but sufiicient to maintain a flow ofbetween 15 to 40 amperes in the wire stock as it passes over the sheaves49 and 50 and heat the wire stock by resistance heating as it passesbetween said sheaves. The heating of the wire serves to bake on to thesurface of the wire, the lime and other compounds essential to the subsequent drawing operations.

From the sheave 50, the wire stock having the draw ing compound bakedthereon is fed downwardly and under an idler 51 on a support 51a of theframe 36 through a box 52 containing powdered soap or a limelikelubricant. The wire stock is then trained to the a driving wheel- (notshown) of the wire drawing machine for drawing the wire to size as in myparent Patent No. 2,913,354.

Referring now in particular to the details of the descaling and coatingapparatus illustrated in Figures 1 through 6, the wire stock in the formof black wire enters the cylinder or chamber 8 through a guide 2 and 7passes therefrom about the vertical axis sheave 3, changing thedirection of the wire and then reverses its direction about thehorizontal axis sheave 5 and enters the polishingchamber 11 of therotary chamber or cylinder 8 through the hollow trunnion 7 as haspreviously been described.

The reversing of the wire prior to entering the polishing chamber 11spalls off the more [brittle scale as the softer stock is reversed indirection about the sheaves 3 and 5. V

The compartment 11 of the chamber 8 is shown in Figure 2 as having twoparallel spaced chordal plates 13, 13 connected between the walls 9 and12 and spaced on opposite sides of the center of rotation of said chamsThe chordal plates 13, 13 abut the inner cylindrical wall of thechamber:11 at one of their ends, and are open at their opposite ends to receivea plurality of abrasive bars her and the aperturedportions in the walls9 and 12, A through which the wire passes for, treatment.

15, 15, and herein shown as being four in number and spaced on oppositesides of the line of travel of the wire through the chamber 11, and soarranged as to i have tangential engagement with the wirestock as thechamber 8 is rotating. V I .1 d The open end'of the space between thechordal plates 13', 13, carrying the abrasive bars' 15,15 isflshown as 4in gibbed guides 29 extending at right angles to the chordal plates 15,15 and spaced in advance of the ends thereof.

The abrasive bars 13, 13 may be metal files, sintered abrasivesincluding those in the silicon carbide aluminum oxide class, and areherein shown as being tapered files oppositely arranged to be held inposition by the taper, thereof. The abrasive bars or files 15, 15amshown as being spaced from the walls 9 and 12 by spacer bars or blocks16, 16 having tapered inner faces conforming to the taper of theabrasive bars 15, 15 to hold the same in position when the door orretainer 28 is closed. 7

It should here be understood that while the files are shown as beingoppositely arranged, to have interengagement with each other, that thetapers of the file may be so formed that the files will all cut in thesame direction and effect scale removal and polishing of the wire priorto treatment in the chamber 20.

The door 28 is shown as having a projection or ledge 30 extendingoutwardly therefrom toward an access opening 17 in the wall of thechamber 11. The ledge 30 is engaged by a tongue 27 projectinginwardlyf-rom an access door 25 for the chamber 8, for locking the door28 in position to hold the abrasive bars 15, 15 in place between thechordal plates 13, 13. The access door 25 is shown as being pivotallyconnected to a hinge member 18 secured to the wall of the chamber 8 andextending outwardly therefrom. A pivot pin 19 is provided to pivotallyconnect the door 25 to the hinge member 18. A locking pin 22 extendingthrough spaced lugs 23 and engaging the outer side of the access door 25is provided to lock the door 25 closed andlock the retainer door 28 inposition, to hold the abrasive bars or files 15, 15 in position betweenthe chordal plates 13, 13 to have tangential engagement with the wire asit passes therethrough.

The treating compartment 20 contains a supply of drawing compounds suchas powdered lime, which readily adheres to the abraded smooth-surfacedwire leaving the chamber 11. The compartment 20 is shown as hav ing aplurality of lifter plates 21, 21 extending inwardly from the wall ofthe cylinder in chordal planes, to lift the drawing compounds andcascade them to the cen ter of rotation of the compartment 20 onto thescaled wire, as it passes therethrough.

Access to the compartment 20 to replace the drawing compounds is througha door 26 hinged to a hinge member 26a on a hinge'pin 26b. A locking pin26c passing tlliroudgh spaced lugs 26dis provided to lock the door 26 cose The wire passing from the treating compartment 20 leaves saidcompartment through thehollow trunnion 35, as has previously beendescribed, and is trained about the power driven tensioningpulley '45,which pulls the wire through the chamber 8 and immerses the same in alime slurry in the tank 48, from which itis drawn by the first drum ofthe wire drawing apparatus (not shown) over the idler sheaves 49 and 50where the wire'acts as a resistor as it passes between said sheaves, andthe limb is baked thereon by the resistance heat, to assure a moreefli'cient precipitation of the soap on the wire, andthus increase theefiiciency of the picking up of soap as a lubricant. From the sheave 50,the wire then passes under the, sheave .51 through the soap box 52,- fordrawing cutting ofi and packing, as previously described.

The scaling, abrading or polishing and lime treating and bakingoperation thus more efficiently removes the dross from the wire andplaces the wire incondition for heat by the electrical resistance,baking the'compounds thereon, increases ,the afiinity' of the. soap:.to' .the wire,

- being closed 'by aretainer or door 28 slidably guided enabling thedrawingoperation to be greatlyspeeded up,

and thus providing a faster and more efficient continuous treatingprocess than has heretofore been known.

As is well understood by those skilled in the metal forming art, variousmodifications and variations of the present invention may be effectedwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of myinvention, as illustrated and described herein.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an apparatus for conditioning raw wire stock, a rotary drum havinga polishing chamber therein, spaced tubular bearings rotatablysupporting said drum at opposite ends thereof, a motor, means driven bysaid motor for rotatably driving said drum, said drum having aperturedend walls, the apertured portions of which are in alignment with saidtubular hearings, to accommodate the drawing of wire through saidbearings and drum, a plurality of axially misaligned sheaves supportedat the entering end of said drum defining a reversing circuitous pathfor the wire and guiding the wire to pass through an adjacent tubularbearing, a tensioning pulley at the discharge end of said drum pullingthe wire through said drum under tension, means driven by said motor fordriving said pulley, the improvement comprising a pair of facingchordate support plates within said drum on oppo site sides of the pathof travel of the wire therethrough, abrasive bars extending along saidplates and mounted thereon, for abrading opposite sides of the wire uponrotation of said drum, said chordate support plates engaging the wall ofsaid drum at one end thereof and extending partially across said drumand having free end portions affording access to said abrasivetbars, anda retainer door Within said drum slidably movable along the free endportions of said chordate support plates, afiording access to saidabrasive bars and retaining said abrasive bars to said chordate supportplates when in position across the free end portion of said supportplates.

2. In an appratus for conditioning raw Wire stock, a rotary drum havinga cylindrical polishing chamber therein, spaced tubular hearingsro-tatably supporting said drum at opposite ends thereof, a motor, meansdriven by said motor for rotatably driving said drum, said drum havingapertured end walls, the apertured portions of which are in alignmentwith said tubular bearings, to accommodate the drawing of wire throughsaid bearings and said drum, a plurality of axially misaligned sheavessupported at the entering end of said drum defining a reversingcircuitous path for the wire and guiding the wire to pass through anadjacent of said tubular bearings, a tensioning pulley at the dischargeend of said drum, means driven by said motor for driving said pulley todraw the Wire through said drum under tension, the improvementscomprising a pair of facing chordate support plates Within said drum onopposite sides of the path of travel of the wire therethrough, saidchordate support plates having engagement with the wall of said drum atone end and having opposite free end portions spaced from the wall ofsaid drum, abrasive bars extending along each of said support plates, aretainer door slidably movable along the free end portions of saidchordate support plates for retaining said abrasive bars thereto, and anaccess door to said drum having engagement with said sliding door, whenclosed, for retaining said sliding door in a closed position andretaining said abrasive bars to said chordate support plates.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, a frame, a drum rotatablyjournalled on said frame-and having an interior chamber having acylindrical wall, a motor, a drive connection from said motor of saiddrum for rotatably driving said drum, means for pulling the wire throughsaid chamber under tension, the improvements comprising two facedchordate support plates spaced from opposite sides of the path of travelof the wire through said drum and extending from said interiorcylindrical wall of said chamber and having free end portions spacedfrom said interior cylindrical wall, spacer blocks at opposite ends ofsaid chordate support plates and spacing said plates apart and havingtapered inner faces converging from the open ends of said chordatesupport plates, oppositely arranged abrasive bars extending along saidchordate support plates and wedgedly retained thereto by the taper ofthe tapered inner faces of said spacer blocks, and a retaining doorslidably mounted on the free end portions of said chordate supportplates for closing the open end portions thereof and retaining saidabrasive oars thereto for abrading opposite sides of the wire whilepassing along said drum.

4. In an' apparatus of the class described, a frame, a drum rotatablymounted on said frame and having an inner chamber having an interiorcylindrical wall, a motor, a drive connection from said motor forrotatably driving said drum, tensioning m ans for drawing wire throughsaid inner chamber along the axis of rotation of said drum, theimprovements comprising an access door for said drum hinged thereto andextending along the outer Wall of said drum, two spaced facing chordatesupport plates mounted within said drum and extending from the interiorcylindrical wall thereof toward said access door and having free endportions opening to said access door and spaced inwardly therefrom,spacer blocks at opposite ends of said chordate support plates spacingsaid plates apart and having tapered inner faces converg ing from theopen ends of said chordate support plates toward said Wall, oppositelyarranged tapered abrasive bars extending along said chordate supportplates and Wedgedly retained thereto by the taper of said spacer blocks,a retainer door slidably mounted on the free end portions of saidchordate support plates for closing the opening therebetween, and anengaging connection be tween said retainer door and said access door forretaining said retainer door in a closed position upon the closing ofsaid access door.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,822,484 Hartsough Sept. 8, 1931 2,203,063 Schueler June 4, 19402,383,927 Carlson Aug. 23, 1945 2,703,550 Bell Mar. 8, 1955 r 2,826,871Baker 18, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 770,158 Great Britain Mar. 20, 1957

